Book Shelf: Hot Grilling Cookbooks

The sizzle, the crackle, the hiss: it’s finally time to drag out the grill, wipe off a winter’s worth of neglect, and light the coals. Now that the sun is out and the temperature is kinder to outside plans, we’re excited to spend the days flipping burgers, caramelizing veggies, and serving up juicy, tender steaks. To get ready, we’re studying (and dog earing) cookbooks, going back to basics of how to grill, and learning how to experiment safely and deliciously! Grab your apron and dig out those tongs, here, a round up of red-hot grilling cookbooks.

The Big-Flavor Grill: No-Marinade, No-Hassle Recipes for Delicious Steaks, Chicken, Ribs, Chops, Vegetables, Shrimp, and Fish

This book, written by James Beard Award winning chef Chris Schlesinger and the former executive editor of Gourmet John Willoughby, is all about simple, basic, good grilling. As they wrote in their introduction, Schlesinger and Willoughby believe that “grilling is about proper technique and the flavors that are created through that technique.” That means no brining, no marinating, no sauces or spreads, only the best ingredients prepared the best way. In the book you’ll find a guide to grilling, the tools you need, and an explanation of grilling processes (flare ups, fire temperatures, etc). Then you get into the recipe chapters grouped by protein (steak, chicken, lamb, pork, shrimp and fish, vegetables, and cocktails). Each recipe is broken down into three easy steps: prep, grill, toss or top. And since no dish requires a marinade or brine (though they do use dried and fresh spices and herbs), a grilled dinner can always be a spontaneous affair – what summer was made for, after all.

Recipes to try: Grilled Baby Back Ribs with Molasses, Jalapeno, and Lime; Latin Flavored Smoke Roasted Whole Chickens with Lime Chipotle Barbecue Sauce; and Grilled Fish Fillets with Ancho Chile Salsa.

Better Homes and Gardens Fresh Grilling: 200 Delicious Good-for-You Seasonal Recipes (Better Homes and Gardens Cooking)

This is the taste of summer in 200 recipes: this book is a compilation of recipes that showcase seasonal ingredients (corn, strawberries, peaches!) cooked one way, on the grill. After a grilling basics section, including not just how to prep a grill but how best to prep and cook a selection of summer veggies, the colorful book moves on to cover sauces; appetizers and beverages; mains; vegetarian dishes; pizza, burgers, and sandwiches; salads and sides; quick smoke; desserts; and ends with a produce guide. Most recipes come with full color photographs (show offs!) and all of them throw the spotlight on seasonal vegetables and fruits. So you’re not only enjoying the weather but are using the best of what grows in the summer. Spend the morning at the farmer’s market then spend your afternoon by the grill.

Recipes to try: Lime-Marinated Chicken and Tomatillo-Corn Salsa; Pork Burgers with Grilled Mango Salsa and Sweet Jerk Sauce; Spicy Skirt Steak with Avocado Dipping Sauce; Grilled Tropical Fruit with Cinnamon Sugar Crisps and Dulce de Leche.

Next, 2 more red hot summer cookbooks…

The Essential New York Times Grilling Cookbook: More Than 100 Years of Sizzling Food Writing and Recipes

This is part cookbook, part love letter to grilling and grilled food, a cookbook to peruse, highlight, mark up, and give away. A compilation of some of the best grilling recipes The New York Times has published in its long and storied history, this book includes recipes from Times writers (including Mark Bittman and Sam Sifton) as well as chefs and experts (including Zakary Pelaccio, Francis Mallmann, and Dean Fearing). It runs the gamut from the basic to the advanced, from the vegetarian to the decidedly not. In between the recipes are peppered essays, thoughts, and stories related to the dishes in the pages, giving you a context and a memory about the dish you’re about to encounter, even if it’s your first time meeting it. It’s a warm look at how grilling informs our lives and why some food just tastes better seared over fiery coals. Though it does include simple recipes, this book is best enjoyed and experienced when you have the time and attention to spend firing up one delectable recipe. And we all do in the warm days of summer.

Recipes to try: Grilled Onion Guacamole; A Brazilian Barbecue; Jalapeno Stuffed Game Hens; Grilled Whole Porgy with Lime Butter; Guava Crème Brulee; Coriander Ginger Cake.

Charcutería: The Soul of Spain

Admittedly, this is not strictly a grilling cookbook. Or even generally a grilling cookbook. This book is about the traditional butchering and curing techniques from the Iberian peninsula, written by Jeffrey Weiss, a professional chef who cooked with Jose Andrews, Dani Garcia, and April Bloomfield. But with so much of grilling focused on meat, it's appropriate to dive into a respectful exploration of when, why, and how to eat meat. Though it has more than 100 recipes, the book is first and foremost a detailed look at the history of charcuteria and Spanish butchery that happens to include recipes on how to recreate that at home. Beautiful, poetic, and mouthwatering, it’s definitely a red hot summer read.

Recipes to try: Jamon; Cecina; Morcilla Achorizada; Chorizo al Infierno.